Overview

• Proposals would let couples marry in far more places across England and Wales, including beaches, heritage sites, parks, private homes and UK-registered cruise ships, subject to standards of appropriateness and dignity.
• Regulation would shift from licensing buildings to accrediting officiants who run ceremonies, giving couples greater flexibility over where and how they wed.
• The changes aim to make more religious ceremonies legally binding, including Sikh, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu weddings, and to allow Humanist celebrants to conduct legal marriages for the first time.
• The Ministry of Justice projects a 3% rise in weddings, adding £535 million to the economy over ten years and supporting roughly 1,800 businesses and up to 12,000 jobs.
• The plan follows 2022 Law Commission recommendations and remains at the announcement stage, with legislation to be brought forward when parliamentary time allows.